Democratic NH members of Congress blast Trump withdrawal of U.S. from Iran deal

Democratic NH members of Congress blast Trump withdrawal of U.S. from Iran deal

Shaheen, Hassan, Kuster, Shea-Porter say president has made U.S., world less safe

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Updated: 6:45 PM EDT May 8, 2018

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WEBVTT DECISION RECKLESS AND DEEPLY TROUBLING, WHILE A MAN LIVING HERE IN THE GRANITE STATE WHO’S FROM IRAN AGREES, SAYING IT WON’T ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING. NEW HAMPSHIRE’S DELEGATION IS NOW REACTING TO PRESIDENT TRUMP’S DECISION TO WITHDRAW FROM THE IRAN NUCLEAR DEAL. >> THIS DECISION DISCARDS OUR ONLY EFFECTIVE MEANS OF CURTAILING IRAN’S NUCLEAR CAPABILITIES. FURTHER MORE, IT EMBOLDENS HARDLINERS IN IRAN TO RESUME NUCLEAR WEAPONS ACTIVITIES. KRISTEN: SENATOR JEANNE SHAHEEN SAYS SHE IS DISAPPOINTED AND SHE BELIEVES THE DECISION WILL MAKE AMERICANS LESS SAFE. IT’S A MESSAGE ECHOED BY CONGRESSWOMAN CAROL SHEA-PORTE IN A STATEMENT SHE SAYS, "WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO THE PEOPLE WE SWORE TO PROTECT AND TO THE WORLD TO STOP THE PROLIFERATION OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS. THAT’S WHAT THIS DEAL DOES, AND WITHOUT IT, WE SERIOUSLY RISK ANOTHER CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLE EAST." >> IF THE AIM IS TO CHANGE THE IRANIAN REGIME, THIS IS NOT THE WAY TO DO IT YOU REALLY HAVE TO GO IN MILITARILY AND DO IT. KRISTEN: REZA JALILI MOVED FROM IRAN TO THE UNITED STATES IN 1976. HE BELIEVES THIS DECISION BY THE PRESIDENT WILL HAVE A NEGATIVE AFFECT. >> THE ONLY END RESULT HERE , IT’S GOING TO CREATE A WEDGE BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND ITS CLOSEST ALLIES. IT’S NOT GOING TO ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING EXCEPT ADDING TO THE MISERY OF THE IRANIAN PEOPLE KRISTEN: SENATOR MAGGIE HASSAN AND CONGRESSWOMAN ANNIE KUSTER SAY THEY ALSO DISAGREE WITH THE PRESIDENT’S DECISION. YOU’LL FIND THEIR STATEMENTS ON WMUR.COM. LIVE IN THE STUDIO, KRISTEN CAROSA, WMUR N

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Democratic NH members of Congress blast Trump withdrawal of U.S. from Iran deal

Shaheen, Hassan, Kuster, Shea-Porter say president has made U.S., world less safe

The four Democratic members of New Hampshire’s congressional delegation wasted no time Tuesday criticizing President Donald Trump’s decision to have the U.S. withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal.>> Download the free WMUR appSen. Jeanne Shaheen called it a “reckless” move, while Sen. Maggie Hassan said Trump has “made the American people less safe.” Rep. Annie Kuster said the move “threatens the safety and well-being of Americans,” while Rep. Carol Shea-Porter said that without the deal, “We seriously risk another conflict in the Middle East. “Here are the full statements from the two senators and two House memberSen. Jeanne Shaheen: “As intended, the Iran deal significantly constrained Iran’s nuclear activity. In following through on his reckless campaign promise to withdraw from the Iran deal, President Trump is ignoring the sound guidance of his military leadership, diplomats, fellow Republicans and our nation’s closest allies, all at the expense of our national security interests.“This decision needlessly discards our only effective means of curtailing Iran’s nuclear capabilities and emboldens hardliners in Iran to resume nuclear weapons activity. It also severely undermines the credibility and negotiation leverage of the United States in resolving current and future crises through diplomacy. Decisions of this magnitude should be based on the long-term security interests of our country, not political expediency.”Sen. Maggie Hassan:“I am deeply troubled that President Trump has ignored his own advisors and made the American people less safe by withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal. I have long said that the Iran agreement must be the first step among many to confront Iran’s destabilizing actions, and I voted to pass a bill to increase sanctions on Iran for its support for terrorism, for its development of a ballistic missile program, and its human rights abuses.“But the fact remains that this deal represents the best available option for preventing Iran from getting a nuclear weapon. I am concerned that this announcement will cause the agreement between the United States, Iran, and other nations to collapse, likely leading to the resumption of Iran’s nuclear weapons program while undermining our country’s diplomatic standing, including efforts to stop the spread of nuclear weapons throughout the world.“We must do everything we can to prevent Iran from ever getting a nuclear weapon, and this decision will hurt those efforts.” Rep. Annie Kuster: “Ensuring that Iran never obtains a nuclear weapon, and defending the national security of the United States and our allies, must be the ultimate goal of U.S. foreign policy toward the Iran.“Unfortunately, I do not believe that President Trump’s decision today furthers that goal and instead raises the risk of an Iranian regime with nuclear capabilities that threatens the safety and well-being of all Americans.“The Iran nuclear deal created strict oversight that allows for inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency and has near universal support from our allies.“Rather than walk away, we should continue to work with our allies to ensure Iran’s compliance with the deal. Iran’s threatening behavior toward Israel, support for Syria’s Bashar al-Assad and backing of terrorist organizations in Lebanon and elsewhere is completely unacceptable, but abandoning our commitments will only strengthen Iran’s destabilizing role in the region and undermine our ability to address these serious challenges.”Rep. Carol Shea-Porter: “This decision will make Americans and people across the world less safe. Before the agreement, Iran was months away from having a nuclear weapon. Now, they are at least a year away, and we can snap sanctions back into place immediately if they make any move towards developing a weapon.“Under the deal, Iran cannot enrich uranium beyond 3.6 percent, far short of the 80 percent needed for a weapon. Iran agreed to give away 97 percent of its nuclear fuel. In addition, we forced them to take the vast majority of their centrifuges out of service, meaning it will be very difficult and noticeable if they try to enrich more material. And we mandated inspections, so if they try, we will know, and we can take appropriate action. "The Iran deal is not perfect. But we must consider the danger facing the world before the deal and the improved security we now enjoy because of it. We should side with our allies and stay with them in this deal. American leadership is at stake.“You don’t do arms control agreements with your friends; you sign them with your enemies to make the world a safer place for all. Inspections have confirmed that Iran is complying with this deal. We should too. We have a responsibility to the people we swore to protect, and to the world, to stop the proliferation of nuclear weapons. That’s what this deal does, and without it, we seriously risk another conflict in the Middle East. We should steer our nation down the pathway to a safer and more peaceful world, not the pathway to war.”“If the aim is to change the Iranian regime, this is not the way to do it. You really have to go in militarily and do it,” said Reza Jalili, a Bedford resident who moved to the United States from Iran in 1976. “The only end result here is, it’s going to create a wedge between the United States and its closest allies. It’s not going to accomplish anything except adding to the misery of the Iranian people.”WMUR reporter Kristen Carosa contributed to this story.

WASHINGTON, D.C. —

The four Democratic members of New Hampshire’s congressional delegation wasted no time Tuesday criticizing President Donald Trump’s decision to have the U.S. withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal.

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Sen. Jeanne Shaheen called it a “reckless” move, while Sen. Maggie Hassan said Trump has “made the American people less safe.”

Rep. Annie Kuster said the move “threatens the safety and well-being of Americans,” while Rep. Carol Shea-Porter said that without the deal, “We seriously risk another conflict in the Middle East. “

Here are the full statements from the two senators and two House member

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen:

“As intended, the Iran deal significantly constrained Iran’s nuclear activity. In following through on his reckless campaign promise to withdraw from the Iran deal, President Trump is ignoring the sound guidance of his military leadership, diplomats, fellow Republicans and our nation’s closest allies, all at the expense of our national security interests.

U.S. Senate Democratic Office

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen

“This decision needlessly discards our only effective means of curtailing Iran’s nuclear capabilities and emboldens hardliners in Iran to resume nuclear weapons activity. It also severely undermines the credibility and negotiation leverage of the United States in resolving current and future crises through diplomacy. Decisions of this magnitude should be based on the long-term security interests of our country, not political expediency.”

Sen. Maggie Hassan:

“I am deeply troubled that President Trump has ignored his own advisors and made the American people less safe by withdrawing from the Iran nuclear deal. I have long said that the Iran agreement must be the first step among many to confront Iran’s destabilizing actions, and I voted to pass a bill to increase sanctions on Iran for its support for terrorism, for its development of a ballistic missile program, and its human rights abuses.

Sen. Maggie Hassan

“But the fact remains that this deal represents the best available option for preventing Iran from getting a nuclear weapon. I am concerned that this announcement will cause the agreement between the United States, Iran, and other nations to collapse, likely leading to the resumption of Iran’s nuclear weapons program while undermining our country’s diplomatic standing, including efforts to stop the spread of nuclear weapons throughout the world.

“We must do everything we can to prevent Iran from ever getting a nuclear weapon, and this decision will hurt those efforts.”

Rep. Annie Kuster:

“Ensuring that Iran never obtains a nuclear weapon, and defending the national security of the United States and our allies, must be the ultimate goal of U.S. foreign policy toward the Iran.

“Unfortunately, I do not believe that President Trump’s decision today furthers that goal and instead raises the risk of an Iranian regime with nuclear capabilities that threatens the safety and well-being of all Americans.

Rep. Annie Kuster

“The Iran nuclear deal created strict oversight that allows for inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency and has near universal support from our allies.

“Rather than walk away, we should continue to work with our allies to ensure Iran’s compliance with the deal. Iran’s threatening behavior toward Israel, support for Syria’s Bashar al-Assad and backing of terrorist organizations in Lebanon and elsewhere is completely unacceptable, but abandoning our commitments will only strengthen Iran’s destabilizing role in the region and undermine our ability to address these serious challenges.”

Rep. Carol Shea-Porter:

“This decision will make Americans and people across the world less safe. Before the agreement, Iran was months away from having a nuclear weapon. Now, they are at least a year away, and we can snap sanctions back into place immediately if they make any move towards developing a weapon.

“Under the deal, Iran cannot enrich uranium beyond 3.6 percent, far short of the 80 percent needed for a weapon. Iran agreed to give away 97 percent of its nuclear fuel. In addition, we forced them to take the vast majority of their centrifuges out of service, meaning it will be very difficult and noticeable if they try to enrich more material. And we mandated inspections, so if they try, we will know, and we can take appropriate action.

Rep. Carol Shea-Porter

"The Iran deal is not perfect. But we must consider the danger facing the world before the deal and the improved security we now enjoy because of it. We should side with our allies and stay with them in this deal. American leadership is at stake.

“You don’t do arms control agreements with your friends; you sign them with your enemies to make the world a safer place for all. Inspections have confirmed that Iran is complying with this deal. We should too. We have a responsibility to the people we swore to protect, and to the world, to stop the proliferation of nuclear weapons. That’s what this deal does, and without it, we seriously risk another conflict in the Middle East. We should steer our nation down the pathway to a safer and more peaceful world, not the pathway to war.”

“If the aim is to change the Iranian regime, this is not the way to do it. You really have to go in militarily and do it,” said Reza Jalili, a Bedford resident who moved to the United States from Iran in 1976. “The only end result here is, it’s going to create a wedge between the United States and its closest allies. It’s not going to accomplish anything except adding to the misery of the Iranian people.”